"Secret" areas on Mercury??

[Kapricorn]

I may be wrong, but I think that the two cruise staff were referring to the Palm Springs Cafe on Resort Deck being open for lunch, not the dining room. In the past, I've gone to the Cafe for buffet lunch after embarkation. When I sail on her next Friday, I will make a note of checking out if the dining room is open for lunch.

 

Donald.

[xyson]

I may be wrong, but I think that the two cruise staff were referring to the Palm Springs Cafe on Resort Deck being open for lunch, not the dining room. In the past, I've gone to the Cafe for buffet lunch after embarkation. When I sail on her next Friday, I will make a note of checking out if the dining room is open for lunch.

 

Donald.

 

That is the common assumption... mine also... but check out this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=60920

 

Here there are those who report eating in the dining room on embarkation day... hence my inquiry to the staff.

 

Not something to be missed and indeed a great secret if it is true;).

 

Bill

[Kapricorn]

Bill, this is indeed a puzzle - some say that they've enjoyed lunch there, while others say it's closed and empty. Early-embarking passengers are directed to the buffet, as we're not supposed to go to our cabins until 1 or 1:30pm. Next Friday I will definitely check to see if the dining room is open for lunch.

 

Donald.

[xyson]

Donald, I look forward to your report.

 

Have a great cruise, hopefully the weather will have turned by then.

 

Bill

[TeaBag]

Xyson, we were down at the pier today to meet a family we have been chatting with on our roll call for the down under cruise, before they sailed on Zuiderdam. We will be boarding in Honolulu when you disembark. We are really looking forward to this cruise. We, too live in Burnaby. Small world.

[GORDONCHICK]

Xyson, we were down at the pier today to meet a family we have been chatting with on our roll call for the down under cruise, before they sailed on Zuiderdam. We will be boarding in Honolulu when you disembark. We are really looking forward to this cruise. We, too live in Burnaby. Small world.

 

Do those of you living in Vancouver know of any secrets on getting great hotel deals there? Special discount codes??? I've been trying Priceline with no luck. We have something booked, but I am trying to get something nicer. DH skimps on hotels. If we were just going to be there for an overnight, that would be fine, but we'll be there for two whole days of sightseeing. I work in a hospital (not an RN though) and someone said the Pan Pacific sometimes gave awesome rates for RNs (union or government employees I guess) and didn't know if that may work for me.

[raudacruise]

Do those of you living in Vancouver know of any secrets on getting great hotel deals there? Special discount codes??? I've been trying Priceline with no luck. We have something booked, but I am trying to get something nicer. DH skimps on hotels. If we were just going to be there for an overnight, that would be fine, but we'll be there for two whole days of sightseeing. I work in a hospital (not an RN though) and someone said the Pan Pacific sometimes gave awesome rates for RNs (union or government employees I guess) and didn't know if that may work for me.

 

Now this was a while back and I don't know what the exchange rates are, but here is nice place to stay:

 

http://www.granvilleislandhotel.com

 

Its fairly south of the port (and its really not an island). There is a water taxi if you want to explore downtown. Need to take a real taxi to the cruise port unless you want spend a couple hours (you need to take a second ferry across to where the cruise port is).

 

It was nice and off the beaten path.

[Daffydd]

I wasn't sure which deck but it is a great place. Thanks for reminding. We are going on Mercury next April.

 

George

long time no speak

going on Mercury down under in January 2008 will try and find oud

Eluned & David

[raudacruise]

George

long time no speak

going on Mercury down under in January 2008 will try and find oud

Eluned & David

 

Hello David. Can you get some Aussie beer and have them hold it until we get on ;)?

 

Our 30th anniversary is in April and although we will not be on the ship for it (the cruise ends the day before) we are going to be spending some extra days in San Fransisco afterwards. We plan on hooking up with Bob and Judy (they were on Infinity with us and are from San Fransisco).

[Kapricorn]

Donald, I look forward to your report.

 

Have a great cruise, hopefully the weather will have turned by then.

 

Bill

 

Hi, Bill -

 

I got off the Mercury this morning. I checked the dining room at 12:05pm just after embarkation a week ago, and there was a sign at each of the four doors: "Dining Room Is Closed." After another hour I checked again, and the dining room was still closed.

 

Cruise was great!!

 

Donald.

[Lois R]

:D Hi Donald, welcome home! How was it?? Who was bartending

in the Martini Bar? Did you see many of our friends on board?:)

 

Hope a review will be coming from you!!!:D

[Kapricorn]

:D Hi Donald, welcome home! How was it?? Who was bartending

in the Martini Bar? Did you see many of our friends on board?:)

 

Hope a review will be coming from you!!!:D

 

Thanks for the "welcome home"! I'll probably do a review of the cruise soon, if no-one else has already done so.

 

For those who are interested, Ruel Salcedo of the Philippines is the Martini Bar bartender. He made just as great martinis as Juro Raheja of Croatia who had served there until last May.

 

Donald.

[Lois R]

Hi Donald:) it doesn't matter if someone else has done a review or

not..you can do one:D

And to be honest, you were the first one to post today...but then

again you only live a 1/2 hour from the ship;)

Glad you had a good time:)

[Hebe]

If you see people in the dining room on embarkation day, it could be one of two groups

1) back to back cruisers who get invited to a special lunch

2) travel agents or VIPs from the port city who are invited on board to tour the ship and enjoy lunch

[Lois R]

Hebe, Hi:) the reason Donald made that comment was because

of another thread. Before he left on this cruise someone said

they had seen the Dining room open (to the public) on sail day.

None of us had heard that before so Donald checked for us.

Other than TA's or special groups I have never heard of it being

open...only the buffet on sail day.

I can't recall who said they had seen it open to regular passengers

now:eek:.

I am sailing Mercury in Oct and will check again;)

[xyson]

Hi, Bill -

 

I got off the Mercury this morning. I checked the dining room at 12:05pm just after embarkation a week ago, and there was a sign at each of the four doors: "Dining Room Is Closed." After another hour I checked again, and the dining room was still closed.

 

Cruise was great!!

 

Donald.

 

Thanks Donald.

[realent]

Since we booked the Mercury for Alaska next year I thought I would revive this thread a bit....any new secrets????

[becca23]

There is another area Aft, I think on the promenade deck but you probably need to a little exploring.

 

When we were on Mercury through the canal it was almost vacant. We had a great view going through the locks. Summit was also going through on the other side but Mercury won the race ;).

 

 

Now that is one photo opt that I would have taken......Any pics....????

[becca23]

Hey,

 

I went down this afternoon to check out the Mercury at Canada Place in Vancouver (a little pre-cruise tease for our November cruise to Hawaii). I ask two different cruise staff (by yelling across from the pier) whether they served lunch today (embarkation day). Both staff replied that they did! I am somewhat sure they understood my question over the noise of the ship getting ready to leave.

 

In any case, that should be one more piece of evidence that there is a chance to eat lunch in the dining room on embarkation day. An intense discussion in another thread.

 

Also noted: not a single person on the deck that wraps around the aft on the entertainment deck (mentioned above) during departure.

 

Also noted: great balcony for cruisers with none-balcony cabins at the aft corners on the panorama deck (including chairs). This will be great for us. We have an inside cabin near the aft on that deck.

 

I can't wait to cruise... 114 days... aargh!

 

Bill

 

From Canada Place is one of the few times you can view the crew pool.